Onto bigger and better things….2010!

Here are 10 new things that I want to accomplish in 2010:

1) Sell Glo Bars in stores

Approaching local stores is not something I really had time for while starting up the business in 2009, however I hope to really make headway with this in 2010. I will approach local health stores, grocery stores, kiosk stands, bakeries, gyms, lemonade stands (hahaha jk), etc.

2) Work a booth at the local Farmer’s market this spring/summer selling bakery goods

Last March I applied to the local Farmer’s Market, but I was rejected because they ‘didn’t have room’. Which is code word for ‘your business is only 1 month old and we don’t think you will sell anything.’

Hopefully this year I will get in and be able to prove myself! I know the bars would sell like hot cakes and I just want to get in there and SELL. I don’t care if I have to get up at 3am on Saturday mornings, I really think it would be a great fit for me!! Should I get in I will likely be hiring someone to work it with me.

Myself and a few other girls are already signed up for the Toronto Women’s Half Marathon on May 30th 2010. I actually found out we have a wedding to go to the night before (gulp!), so I am going to have to really keep it an early and alcohol-free night!

4) Write a book

I have a lot of ideas floating through my head that I am just itching to do. Patience is a virtue, however!

5) Furnish our bedroom and decorate

This year for Christmas, Eric and I exchanged small gifts because we want to buy ourselves bedroom furniture. Let me tell you, there is a reason that I have never shown a picture of our bedroom on this blog! It is a sad state. We have a bed and 1 set of old drawers…and that is all she wrote.

The room is not warm, inviting, or pretty. :( It’s hideous!

Our plan is to look for Boxing Day sales and hopefully find a good deal on a bedroom set. We also want to paint and get new curtains. If anyone in Canada sees any deals let me know! :) I saw a few sets I liked at The Brick, but they weren’t on sale (yet).

6) TRAVEL!

This was one goal in 2009 that did not happen! No time, no money. However, we hope to be able to travel a bit in 2010. We have plans to go to Florida in MARCH and stay with my mom and stepdad as they are renting a condo in Naples. It will be a really cheap trip as we are going to fly out of Buffalo and we won’t have to pay for lodging. We aren’t sure of the date yet, but I will be organizing a blogger meet-up if we go, so stay tuned for details! I hope to be able to meet a bunch of you lovely gals and travel around FL a bit too. I used to live there, ya know! ;)

7) Attend a Blog Conference

Being a Canadian Blogger is tough! I have had to sit here and watch so many American bloggers attend fun conferences and get to meet! Well, I decided this year that would change. I am taking the reins and hoping to attend the Blog Her NYC Conference! A few of us Canadian gals might be road trippin’ together. I really hope we can swing it!! No promises yet though, it is still just in the ‘crazy idea’ stage.

8.) Save MONEY.

So #6 and #7 may not jive with this goal, however I do think it is possible to be frugal and have fun at the same time! I started this goal early actually. Yesterday, I called Rogers (My evil cell phone provider) and I slashed my cell phone bill in HALF! How did I do this? Well, I decided that I could live without Caller ID, call waiting, etc. I also decided that I could do without my data plan (texting, email). I have a basic $20 plan now that is 200 anytime minutes (which they don’t even sell anymore at that price, now it is $30- ha!), and my monthly bill will now be $31 CAD per month (incl. tax) instead of $65 CAD a month. That is a savings of $408 in 2010!!

My wallet feels bigger already. Yawhoo!

Am I sad about not having email and texting and caller display?
HELL to the YES.

But to be honest, it will miss me more than I will miss it… ;)

In 2010, I will be finding ways to cut back just like I did with my cell phone. I think that there are many things that we have in life that we think are necessities, but they really aren’t. At the beginning of 2009, Eric and I cancelled our Cable TV. And guess what? We don’t miss it much. Most of the shows we watch are on the local channels and other shows we can find online. It is a savings of $600 a year.

9) Get new packaging for Glo Bars and purchase UPC codes for Glo Bars

I am also looking into a US distributor for the bars and using Fed Ex instead of Canada Post for a postal company. Stay tuned for details! Lots of changes will take place in 2010.

10) Raise money for those in need!

In 2009, I raised over $3300 for the Canadian Cancer Society. This year I plan on raising more money for cancer, however I will also be raising money for a new charity…

What potential life-changing experience did I sign up for?

Many of you guessed a marathon and some even a Triathlon, but I must tell you what I signed up for has nothing to do with sports.

A few weeks ago, I read a really touching story in a magazine.

It was an article in November’s SELF magazine called ‘The Stranger Who Saved Me’

It is the story of a women who signed up to be a Bone Marrow Donor and saved the life of Anna Robinson, a Leukemia sufferer.

Bone marrow is the soft, jelly-like tissue that is found in the hollow centres of bone. Bone marrow can be likened to the factory that produces stem cells which are the building blocks of blood itself. Donors donating bone marrow will undergo a surgical procedure where the stem cells are collected from the pelvic bones.

A small number of stem cells are also released into the circulating (peripheral) blood. There are drugs available that can be given to a donor to dramatically increase the release of the stem cells into the circulating blood so they can be collected directly from the blood stream.

Donors may be asked to donate either bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cells depending on which product is considered to be the best choice for the patient.

Not only did the donor save someone’s life, but the two women were able to meet a year later!

I read the article on the treadmill after a really sad day. We recently received news that an immediate family member was diagnosed with testicular cancer. :(

It is the type of news that makes you stop in your tracks and question everything that you do each day.

I don’t think it was a coincidence that I read this article that day. Normally I read a magazine while on the treadmill to pass the time, but during this workout I started to cry on the treadmill as I read this story.

It was extremely touching, heartfelt, and inspiring.

I knew without a doubt that I wanted to do this.

Having worked at Canadian Blood Services before, I was already familiar with the bone marrow donation and received training on it, but I did more reading up on it to see if it was something I wanted to commit to.

I applied for the One Match program and I was contacted by Canadian Blood Services the next day. They are sending me a swab kit in the mail which will determine if I am a good candidate for the program. I take swabs of the inside of my cheeks, and send it back in the mail to them.

If I pass the swab test, I will then be entered into the world wide bone marrow registry.

I may be contacted or I may never be contacted. There are many people who are bone marrow registrants who are never called upon. If you are a match you will be called and you then have further testing done on your to determine if you are still a suitable candidate. It could be for a recipient anywhere in the world.

There are two methods of donation: peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) and bone marrow. The patient’s doctor chooses the donation method that is best for the patient.

PBSC donation is a nonsurgical procedure that takes place at a blood center or outpatient hospital unit. For 5 days leading up to donation, you will be given injections of a drug called filgrastim to increase the number of blood-forming cells in your bloodstream. Your blood is then removed through a needle in one arm and passed through a machine that separates out the blood-forming cells. The remaining blood is returned to you through the other arm. Your blood-forming cells are back to their normal levels within 4 to 6 weeks.

Marrow donation is a surgical outpatient procedure that takes place at a hospital. You will receive anesthesia and feel no pain during the donation. Doctors use a needle to withdraw liquid marrow from the back of your pelvic bone. The marrow replaces itself completely within 4 to 6 weeks.

I thought about this long and hard and I researched both the bone marrow and PBSC procedures to determine if I was willing to do this. I do not think that this is a decision to take lightly and I would not encourage anyone to just ‘sign up’. I really think it has to come from within and be based on a well-informed decision.

For me, recent life events have made me realize how precious life is and how much I take for granted each day. In 2010, I really want to focus my energies on giving back as much as I can.

By the way, as for the big ‘M’ question…well, you will have to wait and see I guess! ;)

~~~~

On a somewhat unrelated note…

I want to wish you a very Merry Christmas!!!!

I truly thank you for your support in 2009. It has been a great year and I couldn’t have done this blog or the bakery without your support!

Be safe on the roads if you are traveling today. I hear that some of the US is under a huge snow storm! Anyone out there reading this who is snowed in??

WE’RE OFF TO FLY in the sky all the way to my BIRTHPLACE– Moncton, NB!

Catch ya on the flip side. ;) Will be blogging from dad’s. YAY!

The things that matter most in the world can never be held in our hand. ~Unknown

What wonderful goals, Angela! Personally, I can’t wait until you start writing a book – you have so many great stories that would make wonderful book ideas :)
I’m so sorry to hear about your family member:( That is such a great article. Makes me sad I don’t get Self anymore – I’d like to read the whole thing!

Wow – what an amazing set of goals to aspire for in 2010! As usual you continue to inspire and amaze me! One thing I am thankful for in 2009 is having you become part of my life – I know I have found a friend for life!
I love you and I hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas! Say Hi to Moncton for me!!! I miss it!!!
xoxo
Krissy
P.S. Travel safe! And we are getting together ASAP when you get home!

Joining a marrow donor program is a fantastic thing to do! I’ve been registered for quite some time, and actually “got the call” a few years ago. The patient ended up having the best-case scenario– she didn’t need the transplant. But at no point during the testing did I doubt my decision. Whatever pain the surgical procedure might’ve caused was menial compared to giving someone a second chance.

Got snowed in with 22 inches here in northern Virginia! It was a great chance to relax with the hubby and do absolutely nothing! :) Great goals for 2010! Merry Christmas to you and thanks for being such a great inspiration for the rest of us!

Such a great post and I truly admire you for wanting to help someone with a potentially life threatening illness. We are not snowed in yet in Minneapolis but by Saturday we should have about 15 inches of snow, an amazing white Christmas!

Your post brought tears to my eyes this morning! I think those are wonderful goals (and I love Naples, FL so good call on the inexpensive trip!). We have a Caveman Bar guy at our Farmer’s Market, and I think he does well. I think that’s my favorite goal of yours, though having them in stores (way less work) is a great one too!

Have a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year! I can’t wait to hear how the Boxing Day sales go (I’m actually going to a Boxing Day lunch as friends are here from England – but I’ll be staying away from the after-Xmas sales. Pay off/Spend less in 2010 is what I’m shooting for).

I had considered signing up to be a bone marrow donor last year and for some reason put it in the back of my mind and forgot about it. This post reminded me to sign up–just submitted my request for the typing kit. Thank you!

I’m in Nebraska, and we’re getting a very nasty storm as we speak. Yesterday was raining slush, which froze overnight and we are now expecting 10-15 inches of snow by the afternoon of Christmas Day. We’ve already got a foot of now on the ground from the storm we got 2 weeks ago…thankful my Dad’s family is in town and I am not travelling this year!

Angela you are such an inspiring person in each and every way… and if I don’t only admire you for what you accomplished in 2009 (although I really actually do) then I have no choice but to do so for all the good you will do in the future. Becoming a bone marrow donor is a terrifying and selfless thing to do, you’re amazing. Enjoy your holiday at home and best wishes for another spectacular year!

Hey! I did the swab test about 3 months ago. I am now on the list of donor. In French we call that : donneur de cellules souches… I subscribe to be a donor after I received an email from a friend who’s friend (who is my age) suffer from a disease called (in French again) lymphome non-hodgkinien (it probably sounds very similar in English but I am not taking the chance to mistranslate!) and was in need of marrow and stem cells. Even if I don’t know this person, I felt compelled and I though that if I’m ever in the same situation, I’d like as much people to go pass the test to increase my chance of finding a match and give me the chance to live a little longer… or even heal completely. Even though I was scared of the whole process, I was thinking of how scary it is for this person having to face death everyday and suffering, and for the people around her. Unfortunately I am no match to this person but however remain on the list for the rest of my life. We never know, I might help someone one day! :)

I’m in the marrow donor program here in the States! I have two close friends whose lives were saved by marrow transplants and another good friend who has had two heart transplants! Without organ and marrow donations these amazing people wouldn’t be here today, so putting myself on the list is the least I can do!

I really commend you, all of you, who are so selfless! I actually started to tear up just reading your post. I am truly touched by the amount of amazing women in the ‘blog community’ and it is this type of thing that make me so proud to be a woman! Thank you all for being so incredible and inspiring!

Hope you get into the farmers market . That wld be awesome . I love farmers markets … Though I have to look the other way when I pass the meat and fish stalls!!
That is fantastic you are beoming a donor ! A fabulous thing to do . Myb step dad recently died – he had leukaemia :(
Happy Holidays xoxo

I signed up to be a bone marrow donor many years ago…I have never been called, although I am a little scared about being called!

But still…I have always felt that if my family ever needed something like that I would hope there would be enough people brave enough to step up to the plate…but how could I expect that if I wasn’t brave enough, so I stepped up too.

Congratulations to you for your beautiful decision…and your list of 10!

I would like to attend a conference too…they look like so much fun!

AND I have my fingers crossed the dates work out so I can make Naples in March…I am IN if it does…Naples is only about 2 hours away from me and I would be so excited to meet you! (Yeah..I kind of just invited myself I guess!)

I haven’t had the opportunity to read your blog since the healthy living summit took place in August. I started graduate school and life has been quite hectic which means no time for my blogs :(
I hope to catch up with your posts over break. I just wanted to stop by to wish you and your family a very happy holiday season!

(btw I think joining the One Match program was a fantastic idea and a great way to spread joy)

Merry Christmas Eve!!!! I am so excited about your 10 in 2010 – great goals!!

Some things I want to do this year include:
1) Learn to run and run a half marathon in September
2) Get in to Grad School
3) Spend time on me – this winter semester will be my first semester off EVER!! After 10 years of going to university every semester, I cannot wait to have a semester to myself to do things I want to do for me. I am going to read books for fun, organize my recipes … etc :-) I miss the little things.

Those are some great goals! I know I’ll have some fitness goals and some financial and educational related goals. :) I plan to post them on my blog soon.

Good for you for donating bone marrow. That’s amazing! We really need more people to sign up for things like that, and for organ donation and that sort of thing. I really need to even just donate blood.

WOW! I am so impressed with your decision to be a bone marrow donor. And then I read that so many of your fantastic readers are too! What a great group of people who converge here every day! I am so happy that I get the opportunity to read your blog and the comments from such enlightened and open-minded people. You all rock! :-)

I also read that article- I hardly ever read articles from start to finish but I coudlnt stop reading this one. IT was such a touching story. I admire you for putting yourself up for that.. it is a BIG committment. Congrats!!

I love your 2010 things to do! I also want to save more money towards my next car. I also want to read at least one book a month, go to hot yoga once a month (its too expensive and time consuming to go all the time, but also a great stress reliever), visit my brother and his wife when they move, learn more about wine, and send birthday cards ON TIME to my closest friends and family members. :)

I also got a quick 28 minute workout in this morning! Spending a relaxing Christmas with my parents (celebrated last week with the rest of the fam). Hope you have a safe and Merry Christmas!

Well Angela, you really left us with a cliffhanger at the end! Whats up with that? I guess it keeps things interesting! Hmm..big “M” question…moving, marathon??

And yes! I am part of that US population that is snowed in! My family won’t be making it to Christmas Eve church service for the first time in probably 25 years! :( And also most of my family that lives out of the are won’t be making to our other Christmas festivites! But that won’t stop us from celebrating I guess!

Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Best wishes on your 10 in 2010!

merry christmas angela!!!! i just want to say thank you for a wonderful year and thank you for sharing yourself and your life with us. i can’t even remember how i stumbled onto your blog, but i’ve been here ever since! and i’m so thankful. you inspire me to try to be a better, healthier person.

good luck with your 10 in 2010. i’m going to try to get my husband to do one of those lists too!!!! have a great holiday!!!

Wow! It looks like you’re going to have a very busy 2010 :) I think it’s really amazing that you’re willing to go through the medical stuff to give your bone marrow to someone in need! It’s something we don’t really think about, but if even half of the healthy people in the world gave bone marrow, blood, or organs and tissues they can live without then it would save SO MANY people! You’re an inspiration!

Angela,I hope to meet u when u come to Florida. I’m in Jacksonville. one of my goals is also to help women with eating disorders. I suffer from one and would love to see money raised to help girls get treatment that can’t afford it. When I was in treatment so many girls had to go home because insurance quit paying or they ran out of money to pay on their own. Think of the lives that could be saved if they had proper treatment. Angela, your an inspiration.

I read that same article in Self, it was very moving! I commend you for being so brave and signing up for the bone marrow registry.
As for the snow, I am in northern Wisconsin at my parents house (after a 6 hour drive in the snow to get here! Normally it takes 4 hours) and we have had about 6 inches so far and it seems more is coming – it is piling up! We did get in some great cross country skiing though.
I hope you have a very Merry Christmas! Thanks for all the inspiring posts throughout the year!

I am so touched that you are applying to be a bone marrow donor, so much that I am now researching ways I can help. When I was 18 and my little brother was 16, he was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma aka cancer. It was traumatic and definitely life changing. Cancer has never ran in my family until this!! Happy to report he is now doing well, but I still know there is so much we as human beings can do to help! Thanks for increasing awareness and being awesome!

It is so wonderful to hear that so many people are signing up to be on the bone marrow donor list. This past year I actually donated my kidney to my little brother. Through his sickness I learned a LOT about organ/tissue donation. I would do it again in a heartbeat if I had too. Best of luck to your family member.

You’ve inspired me to make some goals for the New Year also. The first thing i will be doing is looking into donating bone marrow. My cousin died of leukemia a year ago, and all of my aunts, uncles and both parents all signed up. I wasn’t at home at the time, and then it slipped my mind. Thanks for the reminder; it is such a worthy cause and a few minutes can literally save a life.

I am SO excited you are coming to South Florida, I live in Miami which is only 2 hours from Naples. I would LOVE to meet you in person, OMG how cool would that be? ;O)
You should visit corkscrew swamp Audubon sanctuary, I LOVE IT THERE!!

I signed for bone marrow donor 3 months ago, the process for signing up is very easy. I really hope to help someone soon. ;O)

So… I’ve been saying for years that I was going to sign myself up for the registry. As someone of mixed race (African American, Native American and Latina) I know that it’s often people in “my” groups and more so others of mixed races who cannot find matches.

Well, after reading your post I stopped procrastinating and filled out everything… now I’m just waiting for the swabs.

Wow Angela, it seems that you have done exactly the right thing when considering donating to help those suffering from life threatening diseases. It is certainly not something to jump into, but the fact that you took the time to research ensures that you are comfortable with your decision and are the right person for the job!

Your blog is so wonderful, it’s such a joy to read! I hope you and your family are having a merry Christmas :)

I’m so inspired to see your post on the bone marrow donating. My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer this summer, and while bone marrows clearly are unrelated, it still makes me motivated to help another family if I could. This seems like a good way.

However, like you, I am going to do some serious research before committing. Thanks for the inspiration this holiday!

What a fantastic and wonderful thing you are doing. Bone Marrow donation is by no means any easy fete! That is awesome.

Since you are going to be in Florida in March……why don’t you run the Walt Disney World Princess 1/2 marathon with us??? Hayley is running it with me (It’s my life) and I’m pretty sure the Fitessista is too!!! It’s March 7th…will you be in by then???

Reading your blog is such an uplifting experience. Your enthusiasm to reach your goals and your optimistic outlook on life are truly inspirational. I’m making my own list of goals for 2010 now and some of them include finding ways to actively help those less fortunate than me throughout the world and also starting a blog about my 5-week-long trip to South Africa this summer. Thanks for the constant motivation:) Happy Holidays!!